Quidditch

Quidditch is the most loved and watched sport in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. The sport is played by two teams of seven people (three Chasers, two Beaters, one Keeper, and one Seeker) and involves three different types of balls (a Quaffle, two Bludgers, and a Golden Snitch).

Quidditch is so popular that the sport has even been adapted for the Muggle world with hundreds of teams competing around the world and watched by thousands of fans. This Muggle version of the sport has even been featured in both television and film.

Follow the Latest Scores Around the IQA

Follow the Latest Scores Around the IQA

Wizard vs. Muggle Quidditch

Wizard vs. Muggle Quidditch

Harry Potter Book Series

The Quaffle is the ball with which Chasers score goals and, due to the nature of the game, must be caught and thrown one-handed since the player must at the same time control his or her broomstick. The Bludger is a round, jet-black iron ball, 10 inches in diameter that is hit by a Beater with a bat and attempts to unseat the nearest player, which is why Beaters attempt to knock Bludgers toward opposing players. The Golden Snitch is a very small ball in diameter with golden wings which allow for the ball to fly at a very fast speed, causing it to be extremely difficult to see and catch. The capture of the Snitch ends the game and gives the team whose Seeker caught it 150 points, which usually determines which team wins the game.

Quidditch falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, part of the Ministry of Magic. The professional organization is called the International Association of Quidditch. Professional matches are attended by trained mediwizards, and while there are many injuries, there are few deaths from Quidditch accidents. However, referees have been known to disappear completely only to turn up weeks later in the middle of the Sahara Desert. There are seven hundred possible ways to commit a foul in Quidditch, all of which occurred in a World Cup match held in 1473.

The name “Quidditch” comes from Queerditch Marsh, the place where the game originated in the 1000s. The colorful, exciting history of this thousand-year-old sport is detailed in the excellent book, Quidditch Through the Ages, now available in a Muggle edition.

Muggle Quidditch

Muggle Quidditch was founded in 2005 at Middlebury College by then-freshman Xander Manshel. Looking for a variation on their normal Sunday activities, Manshel and his friends laid the foundation for a game that has grown in leaps and bounds to become a widely respected, physically intense sport.

Some of the notable adaptations of the sport (aside from the players’ inability to fly on broomsticks) was the use of three Bludgers, a human being as the Golden Snitch, and the capture of the Snitch (called a “snitch snatch”) that is worth only 30 points but still ends the game.

The popularity of Muggle Quidditch has been growing rapidly around the world since the formation of the International Quidditch Association, which was founded in 2010 as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The organization’s CEO and Co-Founder is Alex Benepe, who was one of the original players at Middlebury College with Manshel. Currently, there are over 800 registered teams with the IQA around the world that follow a specific set of standards and rules adapted for the game. Each year, typically in April, the IQA hosts the Quidditch World Cup that places the top teams in the world against each other in a weekend tournament.

In April 2013 at the Quidditch World Cup VI, the University of Texas at Austin was the first team aside from Middlebury College to be crowned Quidditch Champion with their defeat of UCLA in the final match by a score of 190-80. The livestream of the finals match gained over 8,000 views. In commemoration of Texas’s victory, the University of Texas at Austin illuminated the Main Building on campus, an honor also given to recognize Big 12 Conference championships.

Quidditch World Cup VII will be held at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex on April 5-6, 2014. This promises to be the most intense tournament of Muggle Quidditch ever.

In June 2013, Muggle Quidditch was featured prominently in the motion picture The Internship.

Quidditch World Cup VII - North Myrtle Beach, SC

Quidditch World Cup VII - North Myrtle Beach, SC

April 5-6, 2014North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Quidditch is an intense, co-ed contact sport played by over 300 teams around the world. This April, 80 of those teams will descend upon North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to crown the sport’s world champion – the winner of the seventh annual IQA World Cup.

With 14 players, four balls, and the elusive human Snitch, the World Cup games will unfold over two days of top-tier athleticism, incredible competition, and a community like no other. Come join the crowd, cheer, and be part of the most unique event in sports. After all, there are lots of championships, but there’s only one IQA World Cup.

News

Teams

Pools & Matches

The Announcement:

The Promo:

Event Site Map:

The brand-new North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex will hold its official grand opening on April 5-6, the weekend of World Cup VII. Check back here in the coming months for more information about the layout of the tournament site.

Driving Directions
The North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex is finishing construction, so it doesn’t have an address yet! But you can get driving directions from Google Maps by clicking this link.

This is very much Baylor’s pool to lose. After beating No. 1 Texas A&M University and No. 2 University of Texas at the Southwestern Regional Championship, these opponents should represent a relative cakewalk. Given the performances of the other four teams at regionals, I don’t foresee anyone challenging Baylor, and I expect that they should be able to go undefeated.

However, if there is any team that can challenge Baylor, it’s Kansas. The Lawrence-based team’s biggest challenge at Midwestern Regionals was their seeker play. In their six games at the regional championship, Kansas grabbed just two Snitches, and lost to Purdue twice and Bowling Green State by Snitch grabs. At the Spring Breakout, Kansas appeared to have remedied their seeking, with a new seeker; the team caught the Snitch in all three official games that have reported scores, twice over University of Missouri (Columbia, MO) and once against University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN). However, their seeking game is still inexperienced compared to some of their more established peers.

Baylor’s seeking has been one of the keys behind its emergence. The Bears caught the Snitch in each of their five matches against World Cup-qualifying teams at the Southwestern Regional Championship. Their victory over Texas A&M resulted from a regulation Snitch catch that sent it to overtime, and an overtime snatch, while Baylor’s victory over Texas came when the team caught the Snitch down by 10 points. Even with Kansas’ improved seeking, I don’t think they can match Baylor in that department. Their quaffle game may be strong enough, but their seeking is inexperienced.

I see Cal and VCU competing for the third advancing spot. I don’t think either has a chance against Kansas or Baylor, and in all probability will fall to both teams by large margins. I also think both teams will probably handle Qwertyrians rather easily. This means the last advancing spot will come down to the Cal-VCU match.

If the Mid-Atlantic Regional had taken place in the spring, I’m not sure VCU would have qualified. They’ve lost twice to University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA), a team that was unable to qualify for World Cup, in the spring, and also to QC Carolinas (Winston-Salem, NC), a team VCU beat in qualifying. VCU’s road to the World Cup was fairly easy, as they didn’t have to go through many top-tier teams in qualifying.

Cal also looks like a team that barely belongs. Berkeley barely reached the World Cup, as detailed above, and has struggled all year against top teams (which really consists of a handful of games against the Skrewts, and a contest against NAU and Santa Barbara). In fact, Berkeley is winless against peer teams, and has only beaten teams that can be considered vastly inferior.

While I’m skeptical of both teams, I think VCU is the more complete team and I’ll pick them to earn the final advancing spot.

How They Got Here

No. 6 Baylor University qualified for the World Cup as the champions of the Southwest Region. The Bears finished as the top seed following pool play, earning an automatic World Cup bid prior to bracket play. Baylor defeated Silver Phoenixes (College Station, TX), Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK), and University of North Texas (Denton, TX) in pool play. Baylor continued their run in regionals with wins over Austin Quidditch (Austin, TX), Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) and University of Texas (Austin, TX) en route to the title.

No. 19 University of Kansas reached the World Cup by finishing in the top 10 at the Midwest Regional. After a 2-2 record in bracket play, Kansas overcame Loyola University Chicago (Chicago, IL) 110-30* to earn their spot. In the next round of Midwestern Regionals, Kansas fell to Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) 80*-50, failing to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. Kansas’ victories in pool play came over Denison University (Granville, OH), and Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL), while their losses were to Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH) and Purdue.

No. 33 University of California, Berkeley finished in 8th place at Western Cup IV, the West’s regional championship. Cal went 3-1 in pool play, earning the seventh seed entering the bracket. After a victory over rivals Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA), 70-60*, Berkeley was blown out, 170*-50 by Silicon Valley Skrewts (Mountain View, CA), forcing them to attempt to earn a World Cup shot through the consolation bracket. After defeating San Jose State University (San Jose, CA), Berkeley was defeated by Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ), with a World Cup spot on the line. After losing in both the bracket and consolation semi-finals, when a win in either would earn them a World Cup chance, Berkeley fell to Santa Barbara Blacktips 80*-70 in the consolation finals to finish in eighth place. The Western Region was originally awarded six bids to the World Cup, but also held the first priority if another spot were to become open. This opportunity was originally offered to the Blacktips, who were unable to attend. The spot was next opened to Cal, who accepted the spot in Division I at the World Cup.

No. 46 VCU qualified for the World Cup through more conventional means, earning a spot at the Mid-Atlantic Regionals. VCU finished second in their pool with a 4-2 record, earning the sixth seed in bracket play. The squad from Richmond then faced Steel City Quidditch Club (Pittsburgh, PA) in a best of three, which they won handily: 150*-30 and 240*-90. VCU fell in the Mid-Atlantic quarterfinals 150-80* to QC Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA).

Qwertyrians Tijuana earned a World Cup spot through one of the slots reserved for International teams.

I am confident that the Silicon Valley Skrewts, Penn State, and Florida will be the top three teams in this pool; however, the order is a complete mystery to me. Three players will look to lead their respective teams to the top of pool 2, and it could come down to which of the three players is the best.

Kevin Oelze might as well rename himself Mr. Skrewt, but that team is more than just Mr. Oelze. The Skrewts come in as the top-seed, a ranking that is by no means indicative of how they will perform. The Skrewts just haven’t played much top-level competition. They’ve split a pair of close games this year with the Lost Boys, and they split with Berkeley this season (the loss was early in the year, and the win, which was much more recent, was resounding). These few encounters comprise the entirety of Skrewts’ matches against World Cup-level competition. While the Skrewts may not be as battle-tested as others, they do possess the skills needed for a run at the World Cup. In particular, their beater play is very strong, and it has helped them defensively in their matches against the Lost Boys.

Speedy chaser Michael Parada will lead a Penn State offense that has exhibited a bit of a tendency to disappear against stronger teams. Unlike their two rivals for the top spot, who have taken advantage of warm southern and western weather, Penn State has played just three official matches this spring. These matches are not particularly telling, as Penn State fell 80-50* to Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY), while beating New York University (New York, NY) 50*-0 and the New York Badassilisks (New York, NY) 100*-10. What these matches do show is that Penn State is a strong defensive team.

Florida has had a rough season thus far, but given their past success, there is no doubting the talent they possess. Dre Clements took the Quidditch world by storm at the last World Cup, and if he can replicate his performance there, Florida may be the team to beat despite being the second-lowest ranked team in this pool.

How They Got Here

No. 12 Silicon Valley Skrewts reached the World Cup with a semifinal appearance at Western Cup IV. California’s first community team (Lost Boys: please note that this is not an indication of favoritism, but simply a fact) cruised through their pool on the first day with a 3-0 showing, defeating the Utah Crimson Fliers (Salt Lake City, UT), University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), and Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA). In pool play, the Skrewts scored no fewer than 170 points, and gave up no more than 50 in their three games en route to a +500 point differential. In bracket play, the team qualified for the World Cup with a 170*-50 victory over the University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA). The Skrewts’ attempts at a Regional championship were uprooted in their next game, a 100^-60* semifinal loss to archrivals, the Lost Boys (Lomita, CA).

No. 25 Penn State University qualified for the World Cup by reaching the semifinals of the Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament. A 4-1 record in pool play left Penn State as the fourth seed prior to bracket play, earning them a World Cup spot in the process. They then reached the semifinals with a narrow victory over Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD) 80*-40. Penn State lost just twice during the tournament, both times to Villanova University (Villanova, PA) by a Snitch catch: 140*-80 in pool play, and 110*-80 in bracket play.

No. 38 Rochester Institute of Technology earned their World Cup spot by reaching the semifinals of the loser’s bracket at the North Eastern Regional Championship. After finishing 3-1 in their pool, RIT entered bracket play as the sixth seed. An 80*-30 upset by Macaulay Honors College (New York, NY) sent RIT into the consolation bracket, where they needed to defeat Stony Brook University in the loser’s bracket quarterfinals (Stony Brook, NY) and win one of their next two games to earn a spot. The RIT defense proved more than equal to the challenge as they held Stony Brook to just 10 points in a 70*-10 victory. In their next match, it was defense and seeking again that led the way, as RIT overcame the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (Amherst, MA) 40*-20.

No. 44 University of Florida easily earned a return trip to the World Cup after making the finals last year. A perfect 6-0 record in pool play was enough to send the Gators to the quarterfinals at the Southern Regional tournament, with a 140*-20 win over Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL.) to clinch their berth. An upset by Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville, TN) 110*-50 in the semifinals ended Florida’s chance at a regional title.

No. 82 Loyola University is the newest addition to the Division I World Cup field. Loyola finished 10th after pool play at the Midwestern Regional tournament with a 2-1 record, but was knocked out by the University of Kansas 110-30* with a World Cup spot on the line. When spots opened due to teams being unable to attend, Loyola was the third and final team offered a spot, after Cal and Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI).

Pool 3

Texas A&M University (#1)University of Michigan (#20)Johns Hopkins University (#35)New York University (#50)Fleming College (#67)

Texas A&M is the obvious favorite in this pool, having lost just once all year. The only loss the Aggies suffered was to a Baylor team that pulled the Snitch in both regulation and overtime. None of these teams are as good as Baylor, and consequently I don’t expect any of them to challenge Texas A&M.

Michigan has played in two tournaments this spring, going 5-1 at the Glass City Invitational with victories over World Cup-bound squads: Ohio State University (Columbus, OH), Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI), and Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN). Michigan’s lone loss at the tournament came in the championship game to familiar foes, the same Michigan State squad that ousted them from the Midwestern Regional Championship. At the Spartan Quidditch Bonanza hosted by Michigan State this past weekend, Michigan fell once to Central Michigan and Michigan State, while also beating Central Michigan. Unlike the three lower-ranked squads in this pool, Michigan has shown an ability to consistently beat World Cup-caliber competition, and while they don’t have much of a chance against A&M, Michigan should handle the rest of their competition.

The third advancing spot will likely come down to Hopkins and NYU. While those two squads have not faced off this year, their close proximity (less than a four-hour drive apart) does mean they have numerous mutual opponents that can be used to compare them. This spring, both have played Hofstra, with Hopkins facing them at the Shell Shocking Spectacular hosted by the University of Maryland (College Park, MD). NYU faced Hofstra at the Big Apple Quidditch Conference tournament, hosted by Hofstra. In those matches, Hopkins fell 90*-40, while NYU lost 140*-20. NYU also faced Hofstra at the Empire Classic, also hosted by Hofstra, suffering a narrow 70*-40 defeat. Both teams also faced the New York Badassilisks (New York, NY), matches each squad won by 50. In the fall, Hopkins lost to Penn State, 80*-40, while NYU fell to them this spring 50*-0.

The results indicate that these two teams are very evenly matched, and I think this game will come down to a Snitch catch. Who catches that Snitch is tough to say, since neither side has faced off often against an equally talented foe. My gut tells me that Hopkins is a little bit better, but it is also worth noting that NYU has played many more games this spring and may come into the matchup a bit more battle-tested. In the end, I’m going to pick Hopkins as the third team to advance.

There is nothing to indicate that Fleming has a chance to unseat any of these teams, as they really haven’t succeeded against any groups with similar talent.

How They Got Here

No. 1 Texas A&M qualified for the World Cup when they reached the semifinals of the Southwest Regional Championship. A&M went 2-0 in pool play, earning the fourth seed entering bracket play. In the first round of the bracket, Texas A&M defeated Roadrunner Quidditch (San Antonio, TX) 170*-30 to easily secure a spot at the World Cup. A 140-90* quarterfinal victory over Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, LA), sent A&M to the semifinals where they faced a surprising upset 140*^-110 by a Baylor University (Waco, TX) squad.

No. 20 Michigan qualified for the World Cup by going 4-0 in their pool at the Midwestern Regional Championship. The only team to ever beat Middlebury College (Middlebury, VT) at a World Cup kept all of their pool matches out of Snitch range, racking up a +390 point differential in their four matches. Their performance in pool play catapulted them to the quarterfinals and into a bout against rivals Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI). Although they performed well in pool play, Michigan was unable to sneak by the Spartan Spitfires, falling 90*-80 in the quarterfinals.

No. 35 Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD) earned their spot at the World Cup by beating Edinboro University (Edinboro, PA) at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. Johns Hopkins earned the fifth see entering bracket play after posting a 4-1 record in pool play. This led them to a best of three against the No. 12 seed Edinboro. Hopkins came into the series with a 170*-40 victory in hand from pool play, and thus needed only one victory over Edinboro to qualify. They got that win in their next match, 100^-70*. Hopkins could not advance farther as Penn State cut them down 80*-40 in the quarterfinals.

No. 50 New York University reached the World Cup with a quarterfinal berth at the North Eastern Regional Championship. A 3-1 record in pool play earned NYU the eighth seed in bracket play. In the round of 16 they handled Syracuse University 110-50*, before bowing out in the quarterfinals with a 60*-30 loss to Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY).

No. 67 Fleming College claimed one of the three Eastern Canadian spots, after a sixth place finish at that regional championship.

Pool 4

Emerson College (#7)University of Southern California (#18)University of South Florida (#30)University of Minnesota (#42)Roadrunner Quidditch (#69)

If all of these teams were at full strength, this would be quite the pool to watch. However, USC has been devastated by injuries recently, and are really just a shell of the team they were at the beginning of the season. Keeper August Lührs should return to lead USC after missing Western Cup IV, but the team will still likely be without star chaser Remy Contaser and beater Spencer Gold. With USC, a top-10 team earlier this year, so hampered by injuries, Emerson is the clear favorite in this pool.

Emerson may be hampered by their location. Based in Boston, where winter weather is much more of an obstacle than in Los Angeles or Tampa, Emerson has yet to play an official game in 2013. While they were sharp at their last tournament of 2012, the North Eastern Regional Championship–which they made the finals of–they may need to shake off some rust at the World Cup while adapting to a very different climate.

South Florida will have no such difficulties. Whereas none of their pool competitors will travel fewer than 1000 miles, USF has the luxury of a measly 75-mile commute. This lack of travel combined with familiarity with the weather could provide a major advantage. As far as gameplay is concerned, South Florida has been a difficult team to read this year. They’ve played well against the University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL), clearly the region’s top team, but have also lost to the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL), which carries no shame; and University of Southern Mississippi, a game they simply should not lose. The Southern Region is one of the most isolated regions, with teams rarely traveling to other areas, so it’s tough to predict how they will fare in relation to teams from other regions, but my hunch is USF may be overrated.

On paper, Minnesota seems like a formidable squad, but that’s only if one looks at the name written on the top of the page and nothing else. Yes, Minnesota made the Final Four last year, but this year they’ve shown no ability to repeat that achievement. They underwhelmed at the Midwestern Regional Championship in November, and rebounded decently at the Spring Breakout before falling to Kansas 90*-40 in the finals. Of course, nobody saw their run last year coming, and a lot of the talent is still there, even though they did not advance very far at the Midwestern Regional Championship. Still, there’s something to be said for having the experience of a World Cup run; their leadership will know what needs to be done.

Roadrunner Quidditch falls into two categories: they are lucky to be here, but have a very tough pool. Having cut their teeth against the best of the Southwest, Roadrunner is a team that is capable of pulling an upset. Unfortunately for them, they got drawn into a pool where that simply won’t be possible.

I think that Emerson and USC are both safe to make it through, but I’m really on the fence between USF and Minnesota. In the end, I’m picking Minnesota. I think they have the better experience given their run at the World Cup and the tough squads they’ve faced in the Midwest, and that should be enough to help them beat an inconsistent team from the Southern Region, despite the local advantages USF possesses.

How They Got Here

No. 7 Emerson qualified for the World Cup when they finished as the runner-up at the North Eastern Regional Championships. After topping their historic pool, which featured Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, NY), Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, NY), and Middlebury College (Middlebury, VT), Emerson entered bracket play as the fourth seed. A 190*-0 shutout of Green Mountain College (Poultney, VT) earned Emerson a trip to the World Cup, but they weren’t done for that tournament. Victories over their own B-Team, Boston Riot (Boston, MA), 160-60*, and Hofstra University 50*-20 sent Emerson to the finals. Ultimately though, it was crosstown rivals Boston University (Boston, MA) that took home the title, winning 150*-80.

No. 18 USC reached the World Cup by making the semifinals of Western Cup IV. A 3-0 performance in pool play gave USC the fourth seed, and a spot in the quarterfinals. A 140-90* victory over Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ) booked USC’s trip to the World Cup. While the Trojans might have been wishing for a regional championship, their hopes were dashed by rivals University of California-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)

No. 31 South Florida advanced to the World Cup with a consolation quarterfinal rout of College of Charleston (Charleston, SC), 160*-20. USF finished second in their pool and earned the number three seed, but were upset by the University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, MS) 60*-30 in the quarterfinals. They still earned one of the six World Cup spots allocated to the Southern Region with their win over Charleston.

No. 42 Minnesota went 2-2 in pool play at the Midwestern Regional Championship, and defeated the Crimson Warhawks (Lawrence, KS) in a qualifying match 90*-10 to reach the World Cup. Minnesota, a team that reached the semifinals at World Cup V, could do no more damage at the tournament as they fell to The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH) 80*-50 with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.

No. 69 Roadrunner Quidditch successfully qualified for the World Cup despite a 0-3 record in pool play that saw them earn the 13-seed entering bracket play at the Southwestern Regional Championship. Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) easily disposed of Roadrunner 170*-30 in the first round of the bracket, but Roadrunner assembled a three-game winning streak to run through the consolation bracket and earn one of 10 Southwestern World Cup slots. A 150*-70 win over Loyola University New Orleans (New Orleans, LA) avenged a pool-play loss and sent Roadrunner through to the consolation semifinals, where a World Cup berth would be on the line. In that contest, Roadrunner defeated Northern Colorado Golden Griffins (Greeley, CO) 180*-110 before conquering Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK) 200*-140 in the consolation finals.

Pool 5

University of California, Los Angeles (#3)Bowling Green State University (#22)University of Rochester (#41)Oklahoma State University (#54)Paris Phénix (#78)

I have complete confidence that UCLA will top this pool. After their dominant showing at Western Cup IV, where they beat a number of teams: Lost Boys, and USC to name two, that could easily finish in the top-three of this pool, I don’t see UCLA having much trouble. In general, UCLA boasts all the tools required to be a contender. They are an experienced group with talent across the board. They’ve shown an ability to beat good teams, and to beat bad teams by large margins (which could be very useful in grabbing a high seed). They also have some of the best inter-regional experience, having played No. 2 University of Texas (Austin, TX), and No. 11 University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL).

My biggest fear with UCLA is their seeking. They’re 14-3 overall, but only 1-2 in games decided by a Snitch catch: the losses were to USC 100*-80 and Miami 110*-90, with the win over the University of Texas 90*-40. What UCLA has shown is amazing skills at the beater and chaser position, which means the 10 minute seeker floor should play right into their hands, and allow them time to build a big enough lead that seeking might not matter. I haven’t yet discussed UCLA relative to their Pool 5 competition, which is simply because I don’t believe any team in the pool is a match for the Bruins.

If there is a squad that has any hopes of hanging with UCLA in the pool, it’s Bowling Green State. Their showing at the Midwestern Regional Championship was impressive, but as I’ve said previously, I’m not very high on the Midwest as a region. I think Bowling Green State falls into the long list of good but not great teams from that region. Outside of their play at Midwest Regionals, they’ve lost to Ball State University (Muncie, IN), and Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) this spring, neither of which gives me confidence they can beat UCLA. Still, I believe they are talented enough to handle the rest of this pool with no real trouble.

Rochester is a team capable of some good wins, and boast a 17-9 record. However their record against World Cup foes has been just 5-6 (note: this includes Carleton University (Ottawa, ON) who qualified but will not be attending), with three of those wins over Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY), and the other two are over SUNY Geneseo (Geneseo, NY), and Macaulay Honors College (New York, NY). Rochester is an experienced team with a lot of gameplay under their belt, but they haven’t shown ability to beat top-level teams. This makes an upset over either Bowling Green State or UCLA improbable. Still, based on their experience compared to their other two World Cup foes, I have to give Rochester the edge to advance.

Oklahoma State has played very few games against top-level teams. Outside of the Southwestern Regional Championship, they are 1-3 against World Cup bound foes, with one win and one loss against the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR) and two to the University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS). In fact, if we include the Southwestern Regional Championship, Oklahoma State drops to 1-7 against World Cup bound teams. It’s tough to view them as a legitimate threat to advance, when they’re only win against a World Cup team is against a squad they’ve played thrice and been outscored by 160 points in aggregate against. Rochester is an experienced squad; they’ve played 11 games against World Cup qualifiers, and have played in the two previous World Cups. I think this experience will give them the edge over Oklahoma State.

There is one more team to consider: the Paris Phénix. Unfortunately, I have never seen them play, nor have they played any team I’m familiar with, so I really can’t judge the Phénix. My gut tells me that at this point European Quidditch lags far behind the American brand, and that the Phénix will be overmatched. I could be wrong, but for now, given the information I have, Phénix will be go winless.

How They Got Here

No. 3 UCLA qualified for the World Cup when it won the Western Regional Championship at Western Cup IV. UCLA went a perfect 6-0 at the tournament, defeating Lost Boys (Lomita, CA) in the finals, 130*-60. UCLA showed its dominance from the get-go, posting a 3-0 record and +680 point differential in pool play that saw the Bruins surrender just a pair of goals in the three matches. UCLA had no difficulty disposing of Santa Barbara Blacktips (Santa Barbara, CA) 160-50* in the quarterfinals, or University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA), 140*-30 in the semifinals.

No. 22 Bowling Green reached the World Cup at the Midwestern Regional Championship, where they finished in second place. BGSU went through pool play with a 4-0 record, earning the top seed in bracket play, before turning it over to their fantastic defense. In the quarterfinals, they defeated the Ohio State University (Columbus, OH) 40*-10, and in the semifinals they overtook Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) 110*-30. Ultimately, BGSU fell to Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI) 170*-90 in the regional championship game.

No. 41 University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) earned a spot at the World Cup through their efforts at the North Eastern Regional Championship. Rochester went 3-1 in pool play, earning the number five seed, but was upset by Boston Riot (Boston, MA) 50*-40 in the round of 16. Two wins in the consolation bracket, 100*-40 over Harvard University (Cambridge, MA), and 110*-40 against University of Syracuse (Syracuse, NY) were enough for Rochester to advance to Kissimmee.

No. 54 Oklahoma State University finished third in their pool, and sat 11th overall after pool play, but still managed to cement their spot at the World Cup with a solid run in bracket play. After a 200*-40 loss to the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR) sent them to the consolation bracket, Oklahoma State won twice to reach the World Cup. Clutch seeking did it for Oklahoma State as they beat Denver Dementors (Denver, CO) 90*-30 and Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX) 70*-30 to reach the World Cup. In the consolation finals, Oklahoma State fell to Roadrunner Quidditch 200*-140.

No. 78 Paris Phénix was the very first team to qualify for the World Cup when they won the European Regional Championship. They finished 5-0 at the tournament with a +450 point differential (more than double their next closest competitor). A 50*-20 win over cross-town rivals Paris Frogs was their closest match of the tournament. Defense was key for the Phénix, as they allowed no more than two goals in any one match.

Pool 6

Marquette University (#16)University of Ottawa (#28)Northern Arizona University (#36)Florida State University (#55)Boston Riot (#74)

Marquette should be looking for someone to thank for this pool. I think they are one of the weaker Pot 1 teams, but there is absolutely no one in this pool that can challenge them. Marquette has yet to play this spring, but they did face an impressive fall schedule including their Midwest Regional Championship and a 140^*-120 victory over Southwest Regional Champions Baylor University (Waco, TX) at the Collegiate Cup. Outside of those wins, Marquette was beaten twice handily by Texas A&M University (College Station, TX), and they lost to Ball State University (Muncie, IN) 140*-80. Marquette does have the ability to win close games: they beat Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI) in the spring 80*-40 and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) 60*-40. In a three-game series against the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN), they caught just two of six Snitches – all three games went to overtime – and none of the regulation snatches. Marquette tends to rely on their seeker, which could serve them in close games against tough teams. If the rest of their lineup can keep the matches close within their pool though, Marquette should have no difficulties.

Ottawa will likewise benefit from a weak pool. They’re 3-1 in just four matches this spring, including a 50-point win over Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY) who failed to qualify for Division I, and a narrow 50*-20 loss to SUNY Geneseo (Geneseo, NY). Ottawa also owns a 100*-30 win over Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY) from the fall. While they are the second seed in this pool, Ottawa’s performance has not been indicative of such a lofty position. Based almost exclusively on the weak pool though, I see Ottawa advancing.

Northern Arizona University has only competed at regionals this spring, and at that tournament none of their performances were overly impressive. They beat a relatively weak Cal squad 80*-40, and they do have two wins over Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) and a win over Austin Quidditch (Austin, TX) from the fall, but I don’t find any of those wins to be particularly impressive: although Arizona State is a good team, October was a long time ago. At Western Cup IV, NAU was decimated by the University of California-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA) 170*-10, and lost to a depleted USC squad 140-90*. NAU also may be competing without their seeker, Porter Marsh, who broke his leg at Western Cup IV.

All three of these teams suffer from their climate. Being based in cold-weather locales limits the amount and productivity of practice, constraints that more southern and western teams can avoid. This could result in these teams being rusty compared to their competition, and also just not as practiced and coordinated overall.

Florida State will try to benefit from their competitors’ lack of activity this spring. Florida State has already played in three tournaments this year, notably winning the Rocky Top Rumble hosted by Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville, TN). While they have had the benefit of competing, Florida State has not been overly impressive. They beat a field that included a number of relatively weak Southern Region squads at the Rocky Top Rumble, and came within one game of missing a World Cup spot at the regional championship. At the Florida Quidditch Conference meet in February, Florida State finished with a 2-2 record, losing to the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) and the University of South Florida (Tampa, FL). Florida State has been very average all year, and has not beaten a single team of the caliber of any of the three previously mentioned teams.

The Boston Riot has the same problems that plague their cohorts in Pool 6. They are a cold weather team that has yet to play in the spring, and they have not beaten a single team on the level of their opponents at the World Cup. They have cut their teeth against some of the best the Northeast has to offer, playing Emerson twice and Boston University (Boston, MA) three times. Those that believe in Northeastern superiority may like them to pull an upset or two, but ultimately they have little hope of advancing out of the pool.

How They Got Here

No. 16 Marquette earned its World Cup spot at the Midwestern Regional Championship, where they took home the tournament title. Marquette finished a perfect 6-0 on the tournament, going 3-0 in pool play to earn a spot in the quarterfinals, and then winning the next three matches. In the quarterfinals, a dominant performance gave Marquette a 120-50* win over Illinois State University (Normal, IL). A 120*-70 semifinal victory over Ball State University (Muncie, IN) sent Marquette to the finals where they beat Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH) 170*-90.

No. 29 University of Ottawa earned one of the three Eastern Canadian slots at that region’s championship tournament. Of the squads that qualified, Ottawa will be the only one attending the World Cup. A 3-0 record in pool play sent Ottawa straight to the semifinals as the top seed. A 70*-10 win over Queens University (Kingston, ON) was enough for the university from the capital to reach the championship round. In the finals, Ottawa could not overcome McGill University (Montreal, QC), falling 90*-10.

No. 36 Northern Arizona University reached the World Cup by way of the consolation bracket at Western Cup IV. After a 2-1 performance in their pool, NAU entered bracket play as the fifth seed. NAU advanced to the quarterfinals with a 130*-40 win over the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), but were knocked into the consolation bracket by the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA). Two wins in the consolation bracket put NAU through to the World Cup. In their first contest of the consolation bracket, Northern Arizona prevailed over the Utah Crimson Fliers (Salt Lake City, UT) 140*-40, while they defeated the University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) 80*-40 in the consolation semifinals.

No. 55 Florida State also made the World Cup via the consolation bracket when they competed at the Southern Regional Championship. Florida State finished second in its pool and thus faced the third seed from the other pool in the first round. In this quarterfinal match, Florida State was defeated 110*-30 by a Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville, TN) squad they had beaten 50*-10 the previous month. FSU rebounded to beat Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL) 170*-30 to qualify for the World Cup being hosted in their home state.

Pool 7

Texas State University (#14)Michigan State University (#24)University of Pittsburgh SUNY Geneseo (#43)University of Toronto

This should be one of the more wide-open pools. I think Texas State, Michigan State, and Pitt all have legitimate chances to take the top spot, and I could conceivably see any of those teams plus SUNY Geneseo reaching the bracket. Texas State is the top seed in this pool, but I’m skeptical of them as a unit. They are very clearly a top five team in the best region (I don’t think anyone can really argue at this point whether or not the Southwest is the best region), but as far as good wins go, Texas State doesn’t really have any. Their losses aren’t really bad, excepting the previously mentioned 210*-30 loss to Texas, they fell 50*-0 to Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) and 110*-70 to Baylor University (Waco, TX). However even their wins over mediocre teams haven’t been that impressive, with the margin exceeding 100 just once: 140*-10 over the Denver Dementors. Basically Texas State beats the teams they should beat and loses to the teams that are better than them. However, they have yet to play a team that’s even with them; that changes here as Michigan State, Pitt and arguably Geneseo are all better than any team they’ve yet to beat. Texas State is the team I’m most eager to see play since I have little perception of their ability.

Texas State is not the only team in this pool that is an expert at winning close games; Michigan State has made a habit of it this spring. In their first four games of 2013 against World Cup-bound competition, Michigan State has had all of their matches decided by Snitch catches. In those games, they are 3-1, including a 2-0 record in overtime. Both Texas State and Michigan State have had excellent performances from their seekers, which should make a game between these two particularly exciting, and these contests could very easily decide the pool.

Pitt has shown themselves to be a very good team this year boasting a 16-0 record in games that were not against the University of Maryland. Overall, they are 16-3 on the year, with a 5-3 record against World Cup squads. They seem to fly a bit under the radar compared to Maryland and Villanova University (Villanova, PA) in the Mid-Atlantic, but Pitt is just two years removed from a third-place World Cup finish. They have all the tools needed to be successful at the World Cup and I would not be surprised to see them make a strong run. I foresee them being very dangerous both within this pool and in the bracket.

Geneseo is a stronger team than they are generally given credit for, having both experience and skill; however, I just can’t see them beating any of the three previously mentioned teams. They’ve faced talented teams before, losing 120-70* to Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY) and 170*-40 to Tufts University (Medford, MA). I think the other three teams in this pool resemble those two squads, and therefore ultimately Geneseo will likely not be able to compete.

Toronto is quite frankly, not a very good team. They went 0-2 with a -260 point differential at the Canadian Cup, and will not be a threat at the World Cup.

How They Got Here

No. 14 Texas State earned a trip to the World Cup at the Southwestern Regional Championship, where they eventually lost in the semifinals. Texas State topped its pool with a 3-0 record, and easily defeated the Denver Dementors (Denver, CO) in the Round of 16 160-70* to qualify for the World Cup. In the quarterfinals, Texas State took out the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR) 90*-30, before being ultimately knocked out by the University of Texas (Austin, TX) 210*-30.

No. 24 Michigan State’s 3-0 record in pool play at the Midwestern Regional Championship was enough to qualify them for the World Cup. A dramatic 90*-80 victory over the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) sent Michigan State to the semifinals, where they were upended by Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH) 110*-30.

No. 32 Pitt likewise qualified for the World Cup by topping their pool at the regional championship. Pitt earned the third seed with a 5-0 pool record, and, like their previously mentioned competitors in Pool 7, was knocked out in the semifinals. Pitt beat Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA) 150-80* in the quarterfinals, but then lost to the University of Maryland (College Park, MD) 150*-80.

No. 42 SUNY Geneseo (Geneseo, NY) earned a World Cup berth with their performance at the North Eastern Regional Championship. Geneseo earned the seventh seed with a 3-1 record in their pool, and defeated Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, NY) 100*-70 in the Round of 16 to reach the World Cup. Tufts University knocked Geneseo out of the regional tournament 170*-40 in the quarterfinal round.

No. 168 University of Toronto was granted one of the three Eastern Canadian slots after teams that placed ahead of them elected not to attend.

This pool features what I think will be the best game of pool play: Villanova vs. Boston University. BU is one of the best teams in the world. Led by Team USA chaser Kedzie Teller, and Team USA reserve keeper Brendan Stack, BU ran the table at the Northeastern Regional Championship, with all of their wins outside of Snitch range. That they could dominate a strong Tufts team as completely as they have this year, two wins: 160*-10 and a160*-40 shows Boston University’s strength. BU has lost just once this season, in October to Emerson, but they have also yet to play an official game in 2013. This relative inexperience could harm them come bracket play, but regardless with such strong play they will be tough to top.

Villanova deserves to be a top seed. Had they not sent a mediocre squad lacking most of their starters to Charlottesville, VA for A Cup Worth Fighting For, they would likely have been placed into Pot 1 and would never match up against BU in pool play. At that February tournament, Villanova went 0-3 and saw their ranking plummet. Outside of those losses, Nova has just one defeat on the year, 120*-100 to Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD) in September. Villanova also boasts impressive victories over an excellent Maryland squad and a great Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY) team.

Neither BU nor Nova will struggle in pool play, except against each other. Villanova’s star seeker Billy Greco may be considered the X-factor in such a matchup, but a contest between such elite teams really can’t be oversimplified in that manner. While I question Villanova’s depth based on their performance in Charlottesville, it’s worth remembering that when they beat Maryland, Nova’s star chaser Zach D’Amico did not play. I really like both of these squads and think they’re threats to go far, but based on what I’ve seen from both teams I think BU is better. They’ve managed to pull out of Snitch range against some really good teams, such as Emerson in the Northeast championship match, while Nova has had some trouble separating from top teams–their two wins over Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA), and win over Maryland were all within Snitch range – with only one of their four wins over good teams outside of Snitch range (a 130*-60 win over Hofstra). I think faced with a long game against an elite team, BU will be able to sneak out of Snitch range, and hold off Villanova.

Central Michigan and Austin, neither of which is a threat to BU or Nova should have a hotly contested battle for third in this pool. While Central Michigan snuck into the World Cup, don’t let that fool you; they are a good team. This spring they have played a lot of games, including contests against nearly every World Cup team in the Midwest, which is quite a strong and sizable contingent. While Central Michigan boasts just a 2-5 record against World Cup bound teams in 2013, their matches against good teams have been close. They own a win over the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) and relatively narrow losses over Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH), 100*-20 and 90*-40, Ball State University (Muncie, IN), 80*-10, and Michigan. The key thing to note about all those scores is how few points Central Michigan scored. Excepting a few games, Central Michigan has had trouble scoring points, which could plague them at the World Cup; still they’re a talented squad.

Their chief rival for the third spot is Austin Quidditch, University of Texas’ B-team. While I’m not going to argue that Austin isn’t a World Cup squad–they absolutely belong–I do believe them to be overrated. They’ve beaten a bunch of average teams and lost to some good ones, save for one huge win: 90*-50 over Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, LA). Ever since that win, people, myself included, have been locked onto this side, but they really do just have one signature win to their name, with no bad losses. Still when they face Central Michigan, I think we’ll see a pretty average squad. In another pool, I think Austin could advance, but I don’t think they’ll make it out of this one.

I have no real knowledge of Tec Quidditch, but I just can’t see them beating any of these four teams.

How They Got Here

No. 5 Boston University qualified for the World Cup when they won the Northeastern Regional Championship. BU’s 4-0 record in pool play gave them the third seed entering bracket play, and from there they cruised into the finals. In the Round of 16, it was University of Massachusetts that fell victim, 70-30*. The quarterfinals yielded a 160-40* win over Macaulay Honors College (New York, NY), while the semifinals resulted in a 160*-40 victory over Tufts University (Medford, MA). The finals saw a rivalry renewed as Emerson College and BU squared off, but it was the group from Boston University that proved victorious: 150*-80.

No. 22 Villanova was also champion of their region, taking the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship, and earning a World Cup spot in the process. A 5-0 record with a +610 point differential earned Villanova the top seed in the bracket, and from there they didn’t look back. A 130*-0 shutout of Richmond University (Richmond, VA) sent Villanova to the semifinals, where they took out Penn State 110*-80. In the finals Villanova overcame the University of Maryland (College Park, MD) 60*-50.

No. 39 Central Michigan earned their World Cup spot when a spot reserved for international teams was left unfilled. CMU narrowly missed the World Cup at Midwest Regionals; finishing sixth after pool play with a 3-1 record, but falling to 15-seed Illinois State University (Normal, IL) 100*-90. Central Michigan was granted the first additional bid from the Midwest, which was awarded after the University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) claimed the first such bid.

No. 45 Austin Quidditch (Austin, TX) advanced to the World Cup because of their performance at the Southwestern Regional Championship. Austin went 2-1 in pool play to earn the eighth seed. The squad from Texas’ capital beat the Northern Colorado Golden Griffins (Greeley, CO) 170*-90 to cement their World Cup berth. Baylor University (Waco, TX) ended Austin’s run in the quarterfinals 190*-90.

Tec Quidditch claimed one of the international slots to gain a spot at the World Cup.

Pool 9

Hofstra University (#9)Ball State University (#17)Tennessee Tech University (#39)QC Carolinas (#65)Silver Phoenixes (#80)

Hofstra has had a strong year, going 11-2 so far this spring, with both losses to the University of Maryland (College Park, MD). In total, Hofstra has lost just five times this year with defeats against Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, NY), Villanova University (Villanova, PA), and Emerson. Their competition has been strong too, as seven of their spring victories have been over World Cup squads. Hofstra is a strong team and will have no trouble advancing, but may have their hands full with a talented Ball State squad.

Ball State has looked sharp this year, dropping just two contests the entire season. Those two were a 70-60* loss to the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) and the loss to Marquette. In total, Ball State is 17-2 this season, with 11 of those wins over World Cup teams, including a victory over Marquette. In my opinion, Ball State is the top team in the Midwest, and they’ve shown that on the pitch with victories over seven different World Cup teams from that region. Ball State relies on Team USA seeker Tyler Macy to pull them out of close games, which he has all year. As the competition becomes tougher, seeker play will be crucial, and Ball State is well positioned for this. I think Macy will lead Ball State over Hofstra and to the top of the pool.

Tennessee Tech, QC Carolinas, and the Silver Phoenixes will all be locked in a battle for third, which I think could be very interesting. I think QC Carolinas is probably the least likely to advance. They have competed a fair amount, but at the end of the day, I don’t think the concept of an “All-Star Team” can succeed at a tournament such as this, certainly not this one anyway. The players on QC Carolinas are spread across three states, and don’t have the luxury of practicing with one another often. Ultimately, this will prove to be their downfall.

I’m going to take Tennessee Tech to take the third spot. I don’t know what to think about this team, but after they came out of nowhere to make the finals at the Southern Regional Championship, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt. They’re a young team, and that inexperience may be harmful at such a huge event, but they defied the odds so extensively at their last tournament, I’m going to pick them to finish third on trust.

The Silver Phoenixes round out this pool. As for their reputation, they are viewed as a strong squad, based largely off their place as the “B-team” for Texas A&M University (College Station, TX). However, their performance hasn’t justified the regard in which they’re held. The Silver Phoenixes have just one win over a World Cup squad, an 80*-20 victory over Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK). In total, the Silver Phoenixes have just a 7-10 record this year, and if they can’t even win half of their games, I can’t foresee them pulling that off at the World Cup when they’ll probably need at least two wins to advance.

How They Got Here

Hofstra qualified for the World Cup with their performance at the Northeast Regional Championship. The squad from Hempstead went 4-0 in pool play and earned the top overall seed in bracket play. A 130*-10 win over Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) sent Hofstra to the quarterfinals where they knocked New York University (New York, NY) out 60*-30. Hofstra’s run ended in the semifinals with a 50*20 loss to Emerson College (Boston, MA).

Ball State likewise made the semifinals at their regional championship – the Midwestern Regional Championship – and thus earned a World Cup spot. Pool play left them with a 4-0 record and the second seed entering bracket play. Ball State’s first contest of the bracket was a strong 120*-20 victory over instate rival Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN). In the semifinals, Ball State and Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI) fought a tight contest, but it was the latter squad that eventually prevailed, 200*-120.

Tennessee Tech had the most success of any Pool 9 team during the Regional Championships, as they finished second at the Southern Regional Championships to qualify for the World Cup. TTU finished third in their pool, and thus squared off against the second seed from the opposite pool, Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL). TTU won that matchup 110*-30 and then shocked the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL), who was at that point 7-0 in the tournament, 110*-50 in the semifinals. TTU’s magic eventually ran out as they were stormed by the University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL) 120*-0 in the championship match.

QC Carolinas, a newly formed community team from the Mid-Atlantic, qualified for the World Cup with their performance at that region’s championship tournament. QC Carolinas finished 4-2 in their pool and earned the seventh seed entering bracket play. This set up a best-of-three series against Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg, VA), in which QC Carolinas already held a 1-0 lead based on Carolinas 110-100* victory over Virginia Tech in pool play. In the second match of the series, Carolinas prevailed 100*-50, earning their spot at the World Cup and in the quarterfinals where they were promptly thwacked by the University of Maryland (College Park, MD), 180*-0.

The Silver Phoenixes’ performance at the Southwestern Regional Championships earned them their invitation to Kissimmee. A 2-1 record in pool play gave the Silver Phoenixes the seventh seed in the bracket. A 90*-30 win over Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX) qualified the Silver Phoenixes for the World Cup. After successfully earning a World Cup berth, the Silver Phoenixes were knocked out of the bracket resoundingly by the University of Texas-Austin (Austin, TX) 300*-0.

Pool 10

University of Texas at Austin (#2)Tufts University (#21)Ohio State University (#40)University of Richmond (#49)University of Southern Mississippi (#94)

I think Texas is a truly elite team. They have lost just three times this year, twice to Baylor on Snitch catches, and once to University of California Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA). Those mark all but one of the contests decided by a Snitch grab for Texas, who is 18-3 on the year. UT has shown an ability to run up the score on an unparalleled level. Texas averages 142 points per game, 22 more than their next closest foe. Their defense has been outstanding as well, allowing just 22 per contest, third fewest of any team attending. Having a superb offense and phenomenal defense is a good way to win games, and for these reasons I really don’t see Texas being challenged.

Tufts is as a strong a team as you would expect from a semifinalist in the Northeast region. They’ve lost a handful of games, but only one was truly a bad loss, to Harvard. The others were to University of Maryland (College Park, MD), Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY), Emerson College (Boston, MA), and twice to Boston University (Boston, MA) were nothing to hang one’s head over. Outside of those defeats, Tufts has a smattering of wins over World Cup bound foes from the Northeast, and a pair of wins over Emerson. They should do fine in this pool, placing second behind Texas, but Tufts is by no means a threat to win it all, unless they can recapture the magic they showed with a run to the finals at World Cup IV.

Ohio State has made a habit of playing close matches, with a 5-7 record in games decided by Snitch catches. Those matches have come nearly exclusively against World Cup bound foes, which perhaps doesn’t bode well for Ohio State. In fact, Ohio State is 3-7 against World Cup bound teams in matches decided by Snitch catch. None of those matches saw either team exceed 100 points. Ohio State seems to exhibit a trend; they play low-scoring close matches and then lose on Snitch catches.

It is relatively easy to compare Ohio State to Richmond since both have faced Mid-Atlantic foes. Ohio State is 2-2 against the Mid-Atlantic, with Snitch-grab wins over Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA), and University of Virginia, and two losses to Maryland. Against those same teams, Richmond went 6-8. While Richmond did lose three times to the same Maryland squad that beat Ohio State, they also lost numerous times to both VCU and UVA, two teams Ohio State beat. These performances against common opponents, make me think Ohio State is better than Richmond, and would likely prevail in a game between the two.

Southern Miss really hasn’t shown any indication that they can do damage at the World Cup. With just a 3-8 record against World Cup foes, and many of those matches coming against less than top teams, they don’t appear to be a team that can do any damage.

How They Got Here

No. 2 University of Texas-Austin turned in an impressive showing at the Southwest Regional Championship to earn their World Cup spot. UT went 3-0 in their pool to earn the second seed in the bracket. Texas’ performance across the bracket was one of the most impressive of the year. They defeated the University of North Texas (Denton, TX) 200-30* in the Round of 16. The quarterfinals saw an even better victory: 300*-0 over the Silver Phoenixes (College Station, TX), while in the semifinals Texas toned it back, defeating Texas State University (San Marcos, TX) 210*-30. Still, UT could not quite complete the run, falling to Baylor University (Waco, TX) 100*-80 in the championship match.

No. 20 Tufts reached the semifinals of the Northeastern Regional Championship and in the process qualified for the World Cup. A 4-0 pool play performance gave Tufts the second seed. In the Round of 16, they knocked Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, NY) out 130*-20. The quarterfinals yielded a 170*-40 victory over SUNY Geneseo (Geneseo, NY) before a 160*-40 defeat in the semifinals to Boston University (Boston, MA) ended Tufts run.

No. 40 Ohio State University went 2-1 in pool play, in the process earning the ninth seed at the Midwestern Regional Championship. In the play-in round, OSU defeated Miami University (Oxford, OH) 120*-50. An 80*-50 victory over University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN) sent Ohio State through to the quarterfinals, where they were upended by Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH).

No. 50 Richmond earned a World Cup berth through its performance at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. A 3-2 record gave Richmond the eighth seed, and placed them in a best of three against the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA). Richmond took the series lead with a 110*-30 victory, before UVA leveled the series with an overtime win, 120^*-100. In the rubber match, Richmond sealed their spot in Kissimmee with an 80*-20 victory. A 130*-0 loss to Villanova University (Villanova, PA) in the quarterfinals knocked Richmond out of the regional championship.

No. 92 University of Southern Mississippi earned their World Cup bid at the Southern Regional Championship. A 3-2 record in pool play placed Southern Mississippi third in their pool, matching them against the second place team in the other pool, University of South Florida (Tampa, FL). USM won that matchup 60*-30, but they fell to University of Miami 120-40* in the semifinals.

Pool 11

University of Maryland (#4)Lost Boys (#27)University of Arkansas (#29)Macaulay Honors College (#60)Illinois State University (#91)

This is Maryland’s pool to lose, and I don’t see that happening. UMD has lost just once this year: in the finals of the regional tournament to Villanova. Outside of that defeat, they own two victories over Hofstra (Hempstead, NY), a win over Tufts (Medford, MA), two over Ohio State (Columbus, OH), and wins over just about everyone in the Mid-Atlantic, other than Villanova. In addition, Maryland has caught more Snitches than any other team, led by chaser/seeker hybrid Harry Greenhouse. UMD is a strong team, and should do decently in the tournament; I don’t anticipate any struggles in this pool for them. They have already faced pool-mate Macaulay this year, winning 100*-0 in February.

While I don’t think they can beat Maryland, Lost Boys should easily place second in this group. No team has seen a more rapid rise than the community team from Southern California. Just a year old, Lost Boys finished second at Western Cup, seemingly coming out of nowhere to best well-regarded teams such as the Skrewts, Arizona State, and University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA). It’s still worth remembering that Lost Boys’ victories over the Skrewts and Arizona State were by very narrow margins, overtime, and a Snitch catch, respectively. While I don’t think Lost Boys has what it takes to beat Maryland, I’m still eagerly awaiting the matchup. This is one of my favorite things about World Cup; you get to see teams face off that would never play each other. Although Maryland has competed against many of the players on Lost Boys when they were students on the East Coast, you would never see these two teams face off anywhere other than the World Cup.

Arkansas, Macaulay, and Illinois State will likely be in a three-way battle for the third spot. None of these teams have had very successful years. Arkansas is 1-4 this year against World Cup qualifying teams, the one victory: a 110*-50 one over Roadrunner Quidditch (San Antonio, TX). Outside of that match, Arkansas fell twice to University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS), and once to both University of Texas (Austin, TX) and Texas State.

Macaulay has played more matches against World Cup bound foes, but has not had any more success, posting a record of 2-11 against those teams. The only two victories were over University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) and Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY).

Illinois State has also struggled in their matches against World Cup foes, posting a record of 1-9 in ten such contests. I can’t possibly foresee Illinois State doing enough to advance. Their losses have not always been against particularly strong World Cup teams, and their showing at the Midwest Regional Championship was actually rather poor, other than one shocking victory.

I think that Arkansas will probably end up going over Macaulay. I’d rather take the team that I don’t know about than the one that has shown me they struggle against good teams. Arkansas cannot be reasonably expected to beat Texas, and there’s nothing wrong with that. They managed to keep Texas State and Kansas within Snitch range, both of which are strong teams. Macaulay is experienced, but those experiences haven’t tended to be good ones.

How They Got Here

No. 4 University of Maryland reached the World Cup with a runner-up performance at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. UMD went 6-0 with a +840 point differential to earn the second seed in bracket play. From there, Maryland took down QC Carolinas (Winston Salem, NC) 180*-0 in the quarterfinals and QC Pitt (Pittsburgh, PA) 150*-80 in the semifinals, setting up a dramatic final against Villanova University (Villanova, PA). In a hard-fought matchup, Villanova took the regional title, 60*-50.

No. 27 Lost Boys also were runners up at their regional championship, finishing in second at Western Cup IV to reach the World Cup. A 4-0 record with a +630 point differential garnered the third seed for Lost Boys. The team from Lomita eked out a narrow 60*-50 victory over Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) to qualify for the World Cup, and followed that with an even narrower 100^-60* win over their heated rivals, the Silicon Valley Skrewts (Mountain View, CA). The Lost Boys’ dramatic run was ended by the University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA) 130*-60 in the finals.

No. 31 University of Arkansas surprised many with their play at the Southwest Regional Championship, which ultimately earned them a spot at the World Cup. A 2-1 record in pool play yielded the sixth seed, and a 200*40 shellacking of Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK) sealed the World Cup spot. A 90*-30 loss to Texas State University (San Marcos, TX) ended Arkansas’ run in the quarterfinals.

No. 57 Macaulay Honors College (New York, NY) qualified for the World Cup through their performance at the Northeast Regional Championship. A 2-2 record gave Macaulay the eleventh seed. In the Round of 16, they cemented their World Cup berth with an 80*-30 upset of Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY). In the quarterfinals, Macaulay proved no match for Boston University (Boston, MA), falling 160-40*.

No. 91 Illinois State University similarly reached the World Cup through an upset, qualifying at the Midwestern Regional Championship. After a 1-2 record, Illinois State held the 15th seed; however, a 100*-90 victory over Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI), put Illinois State in the World Cup. In the quarterfinals, Illinois State’s run was cut short, 120-50* by Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI).

Pool 12

University of Miami (#11)Arizona State University (#26)Louisiana State University (#34)Purdue University (#51)University of Massachusetts Amherst (#66)

This pool was initially pronounced the Pool of Death, and three weeks later, I see no reason to change that assessment. The University of Miami is the favorite to top this group after spending all of 2013 beating up on southern squads. In 2013, Miami is 11-0 with no matches being decided by Snitch catches. The fall saw an equally strong Miami performance as they posted a 10-2 record. The only two losses happened on the team’s trip to California in October, both to the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA), who was a stronger squad then than they are now. On that same trip, Miami picked up their best win of the season over the University of California Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA). With superb seeking from David Moyer, Miami is one of the most well rounded squads, and they have the ability to pull out of tight games. They also have the intangible benefits of a short journey without a flight, and of being accustomed to the warm weather.

Arizona State is a bit of an unknown, having not competed outside of Western Cup IV this spring. ASU looked strong at that tournament, but went 0-2 against the top level competition they faced, falling narrowly to USC and the Lost Boys. I think ASU is safe to advance out of pool play behind the extremely physical keeper Willie Jackson, who competed for Team USA, but I don’t see them as a threat to unseat Miami at the top of the group.

LSU rounds out the tremendous trio in pool 12, despite having a down year. Although highly regarded historically, LSU has seemingly fallen out of the upper echelon of the Southwest. Still, they are a solid squad with a 14-1 record against teams ranked outside of the top-10. If you include LSU’s games against the University of Texas-Austin (Austin, TX), Texas A&M, and Baylor University (Waco, TX), LSU still possesses a 14-6 record. In addition, LSU should be well-prepared for the physical battles they’ll get from ASU and Miami, having previously faced these top-ranked Southwestern squads. The LSU-ASU game should be physical and could end up being one of the best games of the World Cup. I see them as two very evenly matched teams, and I am excited to see the titanic clash that ensues.

Purdue may be one of the unluckiest teams in the World Cup with their pool placement. They’ve beaten some strong teams this year, including Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) and Kansas (twice), and have held others to close games. Still, I don’t think they can hope to upset any of the three previously mentioned schools, meaning that the only team to go undefeated at World Cup V will probably be ousted in pool play.

UMass is looking at a 0-4 pool play record. They haven’t played an official match since the Northeast Regional Championship, and they didn’t look particularly sharp at that tournament, earning the very last slot. I can’t see them upending any of the four teams in Pool 12.

How They Got Here

No. 11 University of Miami reached the World Cup by taking home the Southern Regional Championship. Miami posted a perfect 5-0 record in pool play, with a dominant showing. Every one of Miami’s victories was by more than 100 points; the squad posted 810 points in their five games, and they allowed just 70 points in total. In the quarterfinals, Miami took out the College of Charleston (Charleston, SC) 180*-20. The semifinals produced a 120-40* victory over the University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, MS), setting up a finals showdown against Tennessee Tech University (Cookeville, TN). The finals yielded another transcendent performance from Miami, as they won 120*-0.

No. 26 Arizona State University earned a trip to the World Cup with their performance at Western Cup IV. A 2-1 record in pool play produced the sixth seed and a quarterfinal matchup with San Jose State University (San Jose, CA). A 130-40* victory sent Arizona State to the semifinals, where they were upended by the Lost Boys (Lomita, CA) 60*-50.

No. 28 Louisiana State University reached the World Cup based on their play at the Southwestern Regional Championship. LSU earned the fifth seed in the bracket with a 2-1 record in pool play. In the Round of 16, LSU qualified for the World Cup with a 140*-30 victory over Loyola University New Orleans (New Orleans, LA). In the quarterfinals, LSU ran into a strong Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) squad who knocked them out, 140-90*.

No. 51 Purdue University qualified for the World Cup with their performance at the Midwestern Regional Championship. Purdue received the seventh seed in the bracket with a 2-1 showing in pool play. Purdue beat Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, MI) in the first round of the bracket to qualify for the World Cup, and then beat University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS) 80*-50 to reach the quarterfinals. The defending Division II champion’s run was cut short in the quarterfinals with a 120*-20 loss to state rivals Ball State University (Muncie, IN).

No. 66 University of Massachusetts booked their World Cup trip to Kissimmee at the Northeastern Regional Championship. UMass finished 2-2 in pool play, receiving the 14th seed in the bracket. A 70*-30 win over the University of Vermont (Burlington, VT) placed UMass in the Round of 16, where they squared off with Boston University (Boston, MA). UMass could not get by BU, falling into the loser’s bracket with a 70-30* loss. In the quarterfinals of that bracket, UMass took out Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, NY) 80*-40. They still had not yet earned their berth, as they fell to Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY) 40*-20 with a spot on the line. With one more shot to qualify, UMass beat Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY) 120*-40 to earn the spot in their third attempt.

POOL SELECTION – Division 2

Pool 1

Stony Brook University (#58)Rice University (#82)New York Badassilisks (#85)Florida Atlantic UniversityWinthrop University

Pool 2

Green Mountain College (#68)Stanford University (#79)University of Central Florida (#104)Brevard Community College (#114)University of South Carolina

Pool 3

CAMPS (#56)Sam Houston State University (#70)Syracuse University (#92)University of Toledo (#112)Belmont University

Pool 4

Ringling College (#61)Miami University of Ohio (#81)Loyola University New Orleans (#83)College of Charleston (#127)University of South Alabama

Pool 1

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Baylor

90

Kansas

100*

Kansas

160*

VCU

70

Baylor

200*

U of Cal

20

Kansas

170*

Tijuana

10

Baylor

140*

VCU

30

U of Cal

40

VCU

130*

Baylor

200*

Tijuana

20

U of Cal

110*

Tijuana

60

Kansas

140*

U of Cal

20

VCU

90

Tijuana

50*

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 2

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Skrewts

30

PSU

110*

PSU

130*

U of Fl

50

Skrewts

140*

RIT

90

PSU

210*

Loyola

50

Skrewts

90*

U of Fl

60

RIT

100*

U of Fl

90

Skrewts

Loyola

RIT

90*

Loyola

70

PSU

60*

RIT

40

U of Fl

110*

Loyola

30

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 3

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

A & M

160*

Mich

80

Mich

120*

NYU

110

A & M

130

Hopkins

90*

Mich

210*

Fleming

0

A & M

140*

NYU

50

Hopkins

130

NYU

200*

A & M

Fleming

Hopkins

220*

Fleming

80

Mich

140*

Hopkins

60

NYU

200*

Fleming

20

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 4

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Emerson

90

USC

100*

USC

70*

Minn

50

Emerson

80*

USF

40

USC

160*

Road

60

Emerson

80*

Minn

20

USF

120*

Minn

90

Emerson

Road

USF

130*

Road

120

USC

90*

USF

10

Minn

80*

Road

60

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 5

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

UCLA

160*

BGSU

40

BGSU

200*

OSU

70

UCLA

200*

Rochest

30

BGSU

120

Paris

100*

UCLA

210*

OSU

30

Rochest

100*

OSU

60

UCLA

160*

Paris

40

Rochest

120

Paris

80*

BGSU

50

Rochest

70*

OSU

70

Paris

80*

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 6

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Marq

50

Ottawa

110*

Ottawa

140*

FSU

80

Marq

110

NAU

70*

Ottawa

70*

Boston

30

Marq

80

FSU

110*

NAU

80*

FSU

60

Marq

Boston

NAU

120*

Boston

70

Ottawa

50

NAU

70*

FSU

50

Boston

70*

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 7

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Texas

60

MSU

110*

MSU

140*

SUNY

40

Texas

90*

Pitt

60

MSU

210*

Toronto

20

Texas

110*

SUNY

20

Pitt

140*

SUNY

50

Texas

Toronto

Pitt

220*

Toronto

0

MSU

100*

Pitt

50

SUNY

140*

Toronto

0

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 8

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

BU

110*

Nova

60

Nova

70*

Austin

50

BU

100

CMU

40*

Nova

200*

Tec

0

BU

110

Austin

40*

CMU

80*

Austin

50

BU

Tec

CMU

150*

Tec

10

Nova

50

CMU

60*

Austin

200*

Tec

0

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 9

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Hofstra

110*

Ball

40

Ball

120*

QC Car

10

Hofstra

120*

Tenn

40

Ball

140*

Phoenix

40

Hofstra

90

QC Car

60*

Tenn

QC Car

Hofstra

Phoenix

Tenn

Phoenix

Ball

80*

Tenn

40

QC Car

Phoenix

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 10

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Texas

Tufts

Tufts

Rich

Texas

130*

OSU

0

Tufts

140*

USM

10

Texas

130

Rich

50*

OSU

50

Rich

80*

Texas

USM

OSU

USM

Tufts

40

OSU

90*

Rich

USM

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 11

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Maryland

Lost

Lost

Mac

Maryland

130*

Ark

50

Lost

160*

ISU

10

Maryland

140*

Mac

50

Ark

100*

Mac

0

Maryland

ISU

Ark

ISU

Lost

90*

Ark

40

Mac

ISU

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Pool 12

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Team

Score

Miami

ASU

ASU

Purdue

Miami

150*

LSU

60

ASU

90*

Mass

10

Miami

80

Purdue

30*

LSU

130*

Purdue

10

Miami

Mass

LSU

Mass

ASU

40

LSU

100*

Purdue

Mass

* Denotes Snitch Snatch

Final Brackets – Division I

(Click image to see Hi-Res Version)

Final Bracket – Division II

(Click image to see Hi-Res Version)

The Promo:

The Weekend:

The Finals Snitch Snatch:

The MuggleNet Interview:

Brooms Up! – Quidditch World Cup IV Documentary:

2012 Summer Games MuggleNet Exclusive

2012 Summer Games MuggleNet Exclusive

Ellie Darcey-Alden’s Summer Games 2012 Report

Ellie Darcey-Alden is the actress that played Young Lily Evans in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

It all started a few weeks ago when my dad saw an article in the local paper reporting that on July 8, Oxford would be host to the Quidditch Summer Games. Well, this sparked Dad’s interest and he mentioned it to me and my younger brother Joseph. Not only did I then discover it was in Oxford, I also realized that it was less than 5 miles away in Cutteslow Park in North Oxford.

This was very exciting mainly because I love everything Harry Potter, but also because I had never realized that Quidditch was actually played as a real sport.

After that, I was so excited that I tweeted about it and told everybody that the Quidditch Summer Games were happening in Oxford and that I would love to go and discover what it was all about.

Well, within a couple of hours, Keith from MuggleNet had tweeted me back saying how great it was that we were so interested. He explained how exciting “Muggle Quidditch” is and really encouraged us to go and see for ourselves. He also put us in touch with Alex Benepe, who is the International Quidditch Association Commissioner and the organizer of the summer games. Alex was great; he gave us a very warm welcome to the sport, the IQA, and the event itself.

When we actually arrived at the opening ceremony, I did not quite know what to make of it. All the teams were in their international colors and were all taking it very seriously, I was so impressed. They started by playing every team’s national anthem – this was very entertaining! We got given a program, which meant that we could see what times different teams were playing. When they started playing, it was all a bit confusing because there were so many balls in play at the same time, Bludgers being thrown and dropped, and it was quite a challenge to learn all the rules. Then after that when I realized that the Snitch was a REAL person, I got more confuddled. I thought it was a joke, but it really wasn’t. It was great to see the teams have a go and really try their best. Okay, UK weren’t the best, but don’t forget that it was only their second time of playing a competitive match and they really did quite well. USA and Australia were BRUTAL. They were barging and pushing people out from their way. And they were tackling everyone (even girls) like they were in a full-on rugby match! And all the girls were just as tough!

As well as everyone taking it very seriously, there were also some very, very funny moments, which were fantastic to watch!!! Every player looked as though they were really enjoying the whole event; I particularly enjoyed the Snitch taunting the Seekers who looked absolutely exhausted.

After a very competitive final, the USA team were crowned champions of the summer games, lifting the trophy to deserved cheers and applause – applause that were in fact to congratulate everybody on a fantastic day of Quidditch.

The following day, the USA and UK Quidditch teams did a demonstration match at South Park, Oxford, as part of the Olympic Torch Relay Celebrations. Yet again, USA won, but UK haven’t had that much experience so they did really well. After the demonstration had finished, all of the brooms had been left on the floor… so me, my brother Joe, and some of the players decided to have a run around on the brooms. We had the Beaters and even the Snitch joining in and playing a game with us!!! I hope that one day Quidditch will be a standard sport in all schools… hopefully I can start a team of my own. It was really fun getting to know my new Quidditch friends, and hopefully I will get to meet them again sometime. And I would really like to say a BIG thank you for making those days ones not to forget!

Current World Rankings

Current World Rankings

International Quidditch Association World Rankings

IQA standings rank games played between official IQA member teams. To get your team ranked by the IQA, become an official member. Click on a team’s name to view their team page. Standings update every Monday evening.
Rankings are a combination of several factors, including win percentage, point differential, strength of schedule, and quality of seeking.
You may want to see the International Quidditch Association’s in-depth explanation or technical explanation.

Magical Quidditch in "Harry Potter"

Magical Quidditch in "Harry Potter"

Quaffle: Large and red, about the size of a Soccer ball, used to score goals. (Worth Ten Points)

Bludger: Two in a game, black. Slightly smaller than a Quaffle, fly around trying to knock players off brooms.

Snitch: Most important Ball in the game. Tiny, the size of a golf ball with wings, very fast and hard to catch.

Players

Seven play at one time for each team.

Chaser:

Throw the Quaffle to each other trying to score goals. Three on each team.

Keeper:

Kind of like a Soccer goalie. Guards the goal posts. One player at a time.

Beater:

Uses a baseball-like bat to knock the bludgers at the other team. Two players.

Seeker:

Flies around trying to catch the Golden Snitch, scoring 150 points if caught. One player at a time.

Other Rules

No Time limit.

Each goal scored by Chasers is 10 points.

Penalty shots are given when you get fouled.

Catching the Snitch is 150 points. The game is over when the Snitch is caught.

These were created digitally by former MuggleNet staff member Andrew G.

Firebolt

Moontrimmer

The Bluebottle

Nimbus 1000

Nimbus 1500

Nimbus 2000

Nimbus 2001

Oakshaft 79

Twigger 90

Silver Arrow

Swiftstick

Cleansweep One

Cleansweep Two

Cleansweep Three

Cleansweep Four

Cleansweep Five

Cleansweep Six

Cleansweep Seven

Shooting Star

Tinderblast

Comet One-Forty

Comet One-Eighty

Comet Two-Sixty

Order J.K. Rowling’s Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them for more info! Proceeds from the sale of the books go to Comic Relief UK, helping starving children around the world.

Hogwarts Teams

Gryffindor (Scarlet)

Captain: Oliver Wood (1990-1994)

Captain: Angelina Johnson (1995-1996)

Captain: Harry Potter (1996-1997)

Seeker: Harry Potter (1991-1997)

Seeker: Ginny Weasley (1995-1997 – Reserve)

Seeker: Charlie Weasley (1985-1991)

Keeper: Oliver Wood (1987-1993)

Keeper: Ronald Weasley (1995-1997)

Keeper: Cormac McLaggen: (1996 – 1 Game)

Beater: Fred Weasley (1990-1995)

Beater: George Weasley (1990-1995)

Beater: Andrew Kirke (1995-1996)

Beater: Jack Sloper (1995-1996)

Chaser: Angelina Johnson (1990-1996)

Chaser: Alicia Spinnet (1991-1996)

Chaser: Katie Bell (1991-1997)

Chaser: Ginny Weasley

Chaser: Dean Thomas (1996-1997 – Reserve)

Chaser: Demelza Robbins (1996-1997)

Chaser: James Potter (1970s)

Ravenclaw (Blue)

Captain: Roger Davies

Seeker: Cho Chang

Chaser: Bradley (1990s)

Hufflepuff (Yellow)

Captain: Cedric Diggory (1993-1995)

Seeker: Cedric Diggory (1993-1995)

Seeker: Summerby (1990s)

Chaser: Cadwallader (1990s)

Chaser: Zacharias Smith (1995-1996)

Slytherin (Green)

Captain: Marcus Flint (1990s)

Seeker: Terence Higgs (1991-1992)

Seeker: Draco Malfoy (1992-1997)

Keeper: Bletchley (1991)

Beater: Bole (1993)

Beater: Derrick (1993)

Beater: Vincent Crabbe (1995-1998)

Beater: Gregory Goyle (1995-1998)

Chaser: Marcus Flint (1990s)

Chaser: Warrington (1993-1996)

Chaser: Montague (1993-1996)

Chaser: Vaisey (1996)

Chaser: Adrian Pucey (1991)

Hogwarts Match Schedule

Each year, each house would play the other houses resulting in 6 Quidditch matches throughout the year:

Gryffindor vs. Slytherin – November (except POA when it was moved to end of season)

Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw – End of November

Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin – January

Gryffindor vs. hufflepuff – shortly after Valentine’s Day (except in POA when it was moved to November)

Hufflepuff vs. Slytherin – Early May

Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw – Last match of the season in late May before final exams

World-Wide Teams

Appleby Arrows

Robes: Pale Blue with silver arrow

Site of Origin: Northern England

Ballycastle Bats

Robes: Black with scarlet bat across chest

Site of Origin: Northern Ireland

Caerphilly Catapults

Robes: Vertically striped Light Green and Scarlet

Chudley Cannons

Robes: Orange with speeding cannon ball on front and double C’s on back

Information: Ron’s favorite team.

Falmouth Falcons

Robes: Dark-Grey and white with a falcon head on the chest

Holyhead Harpies

Robes: Dark-Green with Golden talons on chest Site of

Origin: Welsh

Kenmare Kestrels

Robes: Emerald Green with two K’s back to back on chest

Site of Origin: Ireland

Montrose Magpies

No information available

Pride of Portree

Robes: Deep purple with Gold star on chest

Site of Origin: Isle of Skye

Puddlemere United

Robes: Navy Blue bearing the club emblem of two crossed Golden bulrushes

Tutshill Tornados

Robes: Sky Bule with a Dark Blue T on front and back

Wigtown Wanderers

Robes: Blood red with a silver meat cleaver on the chest

Wimbourne Wasps

Robes: Yellow and Black horizontally striped with wasp on on chest

Former Beater: Ludo Bagman

Ireland

Seeker: Aiden Lynch

Keeper: Ryan

Beater: Quigley

Beater: Connoly

Chaser: Mullet

Chaser: Troy

Chaser: Moran

Bulgaria

Seeker: Viktor Krum

Keeper: Zograf

Beater: Volkov

Beater: Vulchanov

Chaser: Levski

Chaser: Dimitrov

Chaser: Ivanova

Vratsa Vultures

Seven time European Cup winners

Quiberion Quafflepunchers

Wear pink robes

Heidelburg Harriers

Famous captain Darren O’Hare

Bigonville Bombers

Top goal scorers -Braga Broomfleet

New Beater marking system

Grodzisk Goblins

Gave us best Seeker ever Josef Wronski

Motohora Macaws

Wear red, yellow, and blue robes

Thundelawa Thunderers

Huge rivalry with Woologong Warriors

Woologong Warriors

Fierce rivalry with Thundelawa Thunderers

Patonga Proudsticks

Held Montrose Magpies to a draw

Tchamba Charmers

Masters of reverse pass

Gimbi Giant Slayers

2 time winners of All-Africa Cup

Sumbawong Sunrays

Have great formation

Moosejaw Meteorites

From Canada

Haileyburg Hammers

From Canada

Stonewall Stormers

From Canada

Sweetwater All-Stars

Beat Quafflepunchers in 16 day thriller

Fitchburg Finches

Won US Cup 7 times

Tarapoto Treeskimmers

Recently toured Europe

Toyashi Tengu

From Japan

Gorodok Gargoyles

From Lithuania

Transylvania

Slaughtered England in the Quidditch World Cup 390 – 10.

England

Was crushed by Transylvania 390 – 10 in the Quidditch World Cup.

Uganda

Beat Wales.

Wales

Lost to Uganda.

Luxemborg

Slaughtered Scotland.

Scotland

Killed by Luxemborg.

Peru

Was flattened by Ireland in the semifinals.

Turkey

No information available

Quidditch Moves

Here is a list of popular quidditch moves and tricks. Information credit Kennilworthy Whisp and “Quidditch Through the Ages”.

Beater Moves

Bludger Backbeat

A move by which the Beater strikes the bludge a backhanded club swing, sending it behind him or her, rather than in front. Difficult to bring off with precision but excellent for confusing opponents.

Dopplebeater Defence

Both Beaters hit a bludger at the same time for extra power, resulting in a Bludger attack of greater severity.

Keeper Moves

Double Eight Loop

A Keeper defence, usually employed against penalty takers, whereby the Keeper swerves around all three goal hoops at high speed to block the Quaffle.

Starfish and Stick

The Keeper holds the broom horizontally with one hand and one foot curled around the handle, while keeping all linbs outstretched.

Chaser Moves

Hawkshead Attacking Formation

Chasers form an arrowhead pattern and fly together towards the gaol posts. Highly intimidating to opposing teams and effective in forcing the other players aside.

Woollongong Shimmy

Perfected by the Australian Woollongong Warriors, this is a high-speed zigzagging movement intended to off opposing Chasers.

Reverse Pass

A Chaser throws the Quaffle over one shoulder to a team member. Accuracy is difficult.

Parkin’s Pincer

So named for the original members of the Wigtown Wanderers, who are reputed to have invented this move. Two Chasers, close in on an opposing Chaser and either side, while the third flies headlong towards him or her.

Porskoff Ploy

The Chaser carries the Quaffle upwards, leading opposing Chasers to belive that he or she is trying to escape them to score, but then throws the Quaffle downwards to a fellow Chaser waiting to catch it. Named after the Russian Chaser Petrova Porskoff.

Seeker Moves

Wronski Feint

The Seeker hurtles towards the ground pretending to have seen the Snitch far below, but pulls out of the dive just before hitting the pitch. Intended to make the opposing Seeker copy him and crash. Named after the Polish Seeker Josef Wronski.

Plumpton Pass

A seemingly careless swerve that scoops the Snitch up one’s sleeve. Named after Roderick Plumpton, Tutshill Tornado Seeker, who eployed the move in his record breaking Snitch catch of 1921. Although many critics have alleged that this was an accident, Plumpton mantained unitl his death that he had meant to do it. Miscellaneous Moves Sloth Grip Roll Hanging upside down off the broom, gripping tightly with hands an feet to avoid a Bludger. Translyvanian Tackle First seen at the World Cup of 1473, this is a fake punch aimed at the nose. As long as contact is not made, the move is not illegal, though it is difficult to pull off when both parties are on speeding broomsticks.

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